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| BRANDED COWBOY CHURCH MINISTRIES preachin pages |
| Sermon for Mary Francis Perkins Our Longest Serving Member 7/31/2008 Psalms 23:1-23:6 2 John 1-9 |
I believe the Psalmist David knew something about fear. If you know anything about the story of his life, you know
he spent a great deal of time running for his life. He was anointed at a young age by Samuel the priest, and became
a court musician during the reign of King Saul. Shortly afterward, he ran for his life from Saul. Later, after David
had become king, his own son Absalom rebelled against him, and he spent another period of time running, this
time from his own son. So I am sure David knew exactly what he spoke of when he wrote about the “valley of the
shadow of death.”
David. David had spent enough time in those fields that he had come to recognize that there was something in his
relationship to the sheep that was very much like God’s relationship to him.
relationship to the sheep that was very much like God’s relationship to him.
The thing I see David describing in this Psalm more than anything is the PRESENCE of the shepherd. Just as the
sheep trust in the shepherd, David trusted in God as his shepherd. Because David knew that:
--in green pastures, the shepherd is there;
--beside still waters, the shepherd is there;
--in paths of righteousness, the shepherd is there;
--and yes, EVEN IN THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW, the shepherd is
still there.
And notice the DEPTH of David’s trust in God: He says, “Yea though I WALK thru the valley. . .” He did not say “yea
though I RUN through the valley,” although that might be our first impulse. He did not say “I walk AROUND the
valley,” he said walk THROUGH the valley. Because he knew that it was not the VALLEY that mattered, but the
presence of the SHEPHERD with him that would make everything okay.
If we never had to go through the valley, somehow I don’t think we would appreciate the mountaintops nearly as
much.
There are a couple of things I have learned about that “valley of the shadow.” Most of us have been taught since
childhood to be fearful of shadows. But what I have discovered about shadows is that they are an illusion. A
shadow in reality is in an indication that there is light somewhere. You cannot have a shadow without first having
light. The shadow simply indicates that the light has been blocked or hindered by something that got in the way—
and the blocking of the light is usually something temporary.
Valleys can be intimidating in their own way also. In a valley you don’t have the unlimited vision that is possible on
the mountain, because there are obstacles.
When that valley of the shadow comes to us in the death of someone we love, it can feel very much like that, like
the light on our path has been darkened, and our steps have been shortened. But the thing to remember in the
valley is that the blocking of the light is only temporary. Sometimes when we experience that darkness, it seems
that there truly is a mountain in our path. But even a mountain can be moved—in fact, Jesus said if our faith is
strong, we WILL move mountains.
Another thing to remember about the valley is that it was not intended to be our continual dwelling place. A valley
is simply a passageway that leads from one place to another. Even though the pathway may lead through the
darkness at times, it eventually leads out of the valley and into the light. When you can see it that way, the valley
becomes a welcoming rather than a frightening place. And if we will only put our hands into the hand of the
Shepherd, everything will be all right. The Shepherd knows the way, and knows how to care for us, and lead us
through this dark passageway to that land where there will be no more fear—no more death—no more sorrow—no
more parting from our loved ones—no more sickness and suffering—and every tear will be wiped away.
I am certain that Mary Francis could have told you a few things about the valleys—AND the shadows. She went
through a lot of the same fearfulness in her own valleys as David went through in his. She probably saw as much
of the valley as you or I would ever want to see in this lifetime. But Mary Francis has seen the last shadows she
will ever see—because now she stands in the presence of God and has all the glorious light of the radiance of
God all around her. She has also walked this valley of tears for the last time, and she has no more hard valleys to
travel. This valley for her has simply become a passageway that has carried her to the presence of the Lord.
If she had any fear, I never saw her show it, at least not to me. She would just say, “Pray for me, “It’ll be all right”
What I saw in her was the complete trust of someone who knew and trusted her Shepherd. She knew that it didn’t
matter which valley the Shepherd chose, she would walk it with Him, and everything would be all right because He
was there.
I believe if she could be with us and say anything right now, she would simply say, “Put your hand in the Shepherd’
s hand and follow Him; He knows what He’s doing, and everything is going to be all right.”
To the family, I just want to say that I know that right now, and in the coming days, will be a hard time. I won’t deny
that and say God will just wipe away the grief just like that. Momma said to tell you that “you better get right with
God before it’s too late, or you won’t see me again“. Momma said, when I’m gone, they’ll have to grow up. She’s
the backbone, and when it’s gone, you can’t walk, you have to crawl. She want’s you to stand on what her and
Lester taught all of you. She is at rest, and nobody can take that from her. She earned it.
he spent a great deal of time running for his life. He was anointed at a young age by Samuel the priest, and became
a court musician during the reign of King Saul. Shortly afterward, he ran for his life from Saul. Later, after David
had become king, his own son Absalom rebelled against him, and he spent another period of time running, this
time from his own son. So I am sure David knew exactly what he spoke of when he wrote about the “valley of the
shadow of death.”
David. David had spent enough time in those fields that he had come to recognize that there was something in his
relationship to the sheep that was very much like God’s relationship to him.
relationship to the sheep that was very much like God’s relationship to him.
The thing I see David describing in this Psalm more than anything is the PRESENCE of the shepherd. Just as the
sheep trust in the shepherd, David trusted in God as his shepherd. Because David knew that:
--in green pastures, the shepherd is there;
--beside still waters, the shepherd is there;
--in paths of righteousness, the shepherd is there;
--and yes, EVEN IN THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW, the shepherd is
still there.
And notice the DEPTH of David’s trust in God: He says, “Yea though I WALK thru the valley. . .” He did not say “yea
though I RUN through the valley,” although that might be our first impulse. He did not say “I walk AROUND the
valley,” he said walk THROUGH the valley. Because he knew that it was not the VALLEY that mattered, but the
presence of the SHEPHERD with him that would make everything okay.
If we never had to go through the valley, somehow I don’t think we would appreciate the mountaintops nearly as
much.
There are a couple of things I have learned about that “valley of the shadow.” Most of us have been taught since
childhood to be fearful of shadows. But what I have discovered about shadows is that they are an illusion. A
shadow in reality is in an indication that there is light somewhere. You cannot have a shadow without first having
light. The shadow simply indicates that the light has been blocked or hindered by something that got in the way—
and the blocking of the light is usually something temporary.
Valleys can be intimidating in their own way also. In a valley you don’t have the unlimited vision that is possible on
the mountain, because there are obstacles.
When that valley of the shadow comes to us in the death of someone we love, it can feel very much like that, like
the light on our path has been darkened, and our steps have been shortened. But the thing to remember in the
valley is that the blocking of the light is only temporary. Sometimes when we experience that darkness, it seems
that there truly is a mountain in our path. But even a mountain can be moved—in fact, Jesus said if our faith is
strong, we WILL move mountains.
Another thing to remember about the valley is that it was not intended to be our continual dwelling place. A valley
is simply a passageway that leads from one place to another. Even though the pathway may lead through the
darkness at times, it eventually leads out of the valley and into the light. When you can see it that way, the valley
becomes a welcoming rather than a frightening place. And if we will only put our hands into the hand of the
Shepherd, everything will be all right. The Shepherd knows the way, and knows how to care for us, and lead us
through this dark passageway to that land where there will be no more fear—no more death—no more sorrow—no
more parting from our loved ones—no more sickness and suffering—and every tear will be wiped away.
I am certain that Mary Francis could have told you a few things about the valleys—AND the shadows. She went
through a lot of the same fearfulness in her own valleys as David went through in his. She probably saw as much
of the valley as you or I would ever want to see in this lifetime. But Mary Francis has seen the last shadows she
will ever see—because now she stands in the presence of God and has all the glorious light of the radiance of
God all around her. She has also walked this valley of tears for the last time, and she has no more hard valleys to
travel. This valley for her has simply become a passageway that has carried her to the presence of the Lord.
If she had any fear, I never saw her show it, at least not to me. She would just say, “Pray for me, “It’ll be all right”
What I saw in her was the complete trust of someone who knew and trusted her Shepherd. She knew that it didn’t
matter which valley the Shepherd chose, she would walk it with Him, and everything would be all right because He
was there.
I believe if she could be with us and say anything right now, she would simply say, “Put your hand in the Shepherd’
s hand and follow Him; He knows what He’s doing, and everything is going to be all right.”
To the family, I just want to say that I know that right now, and in the coming days, will be a hard time. I won’t deny
that and say God will just wipe away the grief just like that. Momma said to tell you that “you better get right with
God before it’s too late, or you won’t see me again“. Momma said, when I’m gone, they’ll have to grow up. She’s
the backbone, and when it’s gone, you can’t walk, you have to crawl. She want’s you to stand on what her and
Lester taught all of you. She is at rest, and nobody can take that from her. She earned it.
